Manjula Submits Report

Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore
Bangalore, Aug 9 : After what could be termed as a one-sided and highly biased ‘investigation’, Karnataka state Women’s Commission chief Manjula submitted the report to home minister R Ashok on Wednesday August 8, placing the entire blame and fault on the boys who were partying at the Morning Mist Home Stay, in Padil, Mangaloreon July 28 evening.The assault on the young boys and girls by alleged Hindu Janajagarana Vedike (HJV) activists has received wide and intense criticism from people in India and abroad.

Strangely, instead of finding fault with the perpetrators of the Morning Mist Home Stay attack, Manjula alleged in her report that the boys were under the influence of drugs, and that the police let them off easily without subjecting them to medical tests.

Surprisingly, nowhere in the report was HJV’s name mentioned!

Though police, including the ADGP had given clean chit to the boys, the focus will now once again shift on the revellers, if the state government asks for an enquiry against the boys.

As she had said during her press conference in Mangalore last week, Manjula in her report has questioned, “Did the boys who arrange the birthday party try to mislead the girls? Investigation and action is essential.”

What is even more shocking, Manjula has even recommended the transfer of the Lokayukta police official whose daughter was one of the victims of the attack, for allowing her to attend the party!

She also took care to recommend action against the owner of Morning Mist Home Stay also.

Speaking to daijiworld.com, a senior and well-known lady social activist in Mangalore , who was shocked to learn about Manjula’s report, said  “After viewing the entire video clip, if responsible citizens like C Manjula shift the entire blame on the boys and the girls, without a mention of the organization that openly claimed responsibility intitially and later denied on realizing the wide coverage and possible impact of the incident, it would be a dangerous development for humanity, as an open truth is being hidden with fabricated facts

Homestay attack: Report speaks of ‘saving the youth’

The Karnataka State Women’s Commission report on the attack on a group of youngsters at Morning Mist Homestay at Padil on the outskirts of Mangalore, submitted to Home Minister R. Ashok on Wednesday, speaks of “saving youth from forces that lead them astray”, even as it demands action against the police for failing to prevent the attack.

In the five-page report, the commission has demanded a comprehensive investigation of the incident by a police officer of the rank of Director-General of Police, the arrest of all the people named in the first information report (FIR) and action against the local Police Inspector who failed to reach the spot on time.

“There should be an investigation as to why there was no vigil on Subhash [Padil] and his men even though they were involved in attacks earlier as part of the Sri Rama Sene,” says the report. It does not, however, invoke the name of the Hindu Jagaran Vedike, which is allegedly responsible for the attack on July 28, anywhere.

Questioning motives

After these recommendations in the first two pages that are directly related to the police, the report moves on to raise questions about the owner of the ‘homestay’ and the organisers of the party.

The report recommends an investigation into the activities of the owner of the ‘homestay’ and asks why those who were at the party were let off by the police without confirming through a medical examination if they had smoked ganja.

“There should be an investigation as to whether those who had organised the party were leading the boys and girls astray,” says the report.

Going a step further, it says that the father of one of the girls at the party, who is a police official, should be transferred out of the district.

‘Exercise self-restraint’

The report says that the images of the young women being attacked were repeatedly beamed on television, which had caused much mental trauma to them and their families.

It has said that the media should exercise “self-restraint” and the government should call a meeting of editors in this regard.

In a comment that seems to hold no direct bearing to the incident in question, the commission recommends that a separate cell be set up in the Police Department to deal with cases of missing women who are trafficked, especially in border districts such as Dakshina Kannada.

The report says the police should keep watch on homestays and clubs that indulge in illegal activities and on individuals who lure women into illegal activities.

The commission’s report recommends that the educational curriculum should have a focus on creating awareness on these issues.

Chairperson of the women’s commission C. Manjula and member V.M. Maithili visited Mangalore on August 1 to look into the attack.

Ms. Manjula’s earlier statements questioning the motive of the party organisers had attracted flak for being a “diversion” from the issue of women’s rights.

‘Comprehensive view’

Speaking to The Hindu after filing the report, Ms. Manjula defended her approach saying that there was a need to take a “comprehensive view” of the situation and the report had tried to do that.